Marxism and the Democratic Tradition by A. Landy (review)

BOOK REVIEWS 125 definitions in the De Inventione on which St. Thomas had built so many of his arguments? Viewed in the light of Cicero's own words . . . . the careful structure of the sum of all rhetoric and of all theology crumbles. Perhaps St. Thomas felt that if he made his masterpiece a perfect all-inclusive whole, he would have imprisoned God, not worshipped Him." (p. 70.) · Far from crumbling in the light of eternity, the habits of knowledge and love acquired in this life are the foundation on which the glory of the next is built, for not only will we use the ideas stored in our intellect but their quality and quantity will be an accidental and extrinsic glory. One of the prized distinctions even in Heaven will be the aureole of a teacher, a Doctor. And in Heaven too the moral virtues will fulfill their purpose most completely and consequently most perfectly. But, of course, Professor Rand knows all this already. He died in October, 1945. It is with genuine regret therefore that we make him the target of our strictures; yet, these may serve to assist fellow scholars to approach St. Thomas with care and preparation. Like Apelles of old, Sutor, ne supra crepidaml Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D. C. IGNATIUs McGuiNEss, 0. P. Marxism and the Democratic Tradition. By A. LANDY. International Publishers , New York, 1946. Pp. flflO; suggested readings. This is a volume of which a reviewer might well say that it is consistent, logical, clear, and faithful to historical facts, of which a great number are cited. To do this would be to do no more than the author has done in his presentation of his thesis; that is to say, it· would give an utterly false picture of the book, just as the book gives an utterly false picture of history. If any more proof were needed for the thesis that it is interpretation, and not factual presentation, which makes convincing and readable history, this book might well serve to give that proof. From the foregoing remarks, it will be noticed that a review of this book from the aspect of accuracy would be impossible; a review must be written, therefore, which will examine the writer's approach to his subject, and his handling of what are admitted to be, in almost every case, historical facts of proven accuracy. It would be satisfying, perhaps, but somewhat childishly so, to point out that Blackstone's Commentaries were first published in 1767, and could not, therefore, have been used by that gentleman, as Mr. Landy would seem to indicate on page 84, as a means of inspiring against the sentiments of the French Revolution. Such lapses are rare, and do not 126 BOOK REVIEWS substantially affect his argument. It is the argument itself which deserves serious consideration. Mr. Landy's theory, an unfairly simple theory, is that the roots of the modern democratic notion are to be found in the British Revolution of -1648. By observing similar or identical elements in later revolutions, he arrives at a consideration of present-day Marxism, which he declares was present in all these revolutions, at least in embryo. The obvious answer to this contention-that Marxism certainly was two centuries younger than the Revolution of 1648-is not the best answer, for it fails to consider seriously Mr. Landy's main assumption. Since it is upon this assumption that the whole work is based, a consideration of any such apparent inconsistencies should be subordinated to a consideration of the assumption. It might be remarked, parenthetically, that Landy seems to attach a mystical significance to 1648, perhaps because that is a period ·of revolution exactly two hundred years earlier than the appearance of the Communist Manifesto. The year 1649 or 1689 would have served his thesis equally well, even though he produces numerous reasons for the earlier year. Mr. Landy's assumption, made prior to writing his book, and apparent in its pages by implication only, is that communism and democracy are historically synonymous. This assumption gives him a remarkable advantage in viewing history; wherever he finds elements which are clearly communistic--by which he means elements...